Genetic diversity analysis of the medicinal herb Plantago ovata (Forsk.)

Plantago ovata (Forsk.) (2n = 8) used as laxative, emollient and demulcent, has great commercial and medicinal importance. With India being the largest producer in the world there is still a lack of defined varieties of the species and no coordinated breeding efforts are being made. In the present study, we report the phylogenetic analysis of the crop for its utilization in future breeding programs for defining varieties of the crop. A total of 302 clear and reproducible bands were obtained with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques involving 35 random primers in 18 selected lines, out of which 198 (65.5%) were polymorphic with an average 8.6 bands per primer. Amplified DNA fragments ranged from 300 to 3400 bp. Dissimilarity indices based on Nei and Li equation ranged from 0.07 to 0.29 indicating moderate level of genetic polymorphism. Hierarchical cluster analysis using SPSS method showed genetic variation amongst genotypes dividing them into three major clusters comprising 10, seven and one genotypes, respectively. The result of present study indicates that RAPD analysis has determined the genetic relationships and estimated the genetic diversity among the genotypes of P. ovata. Key words: Plantago ovata (Forsk.), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, Nei and Li equation, genetic diversity

Genetic diversity analysis of the medicinal herb Plantago ovata (Forsk.)

Plantago ovata (Forsk.) (2n = 8) used as laxative, emollient and demulcent, has great commercial and medicinal importance. With India being the largest producer in the world there is still a lack of defined varieties of the species and no coordinated breeding efforts are being made. In the present study, we report the phylogenetic analysis of the crop for its utilization in future breeding programs for defining varieties of the crop. A total of 302 clear and reproducible bands were obtained with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques involving 35 random primers in 18 selected lines, out of which 198 (65.5%) were polymorphic with an average 8.6 bands per primer. Amplified DNA fragments ranged from 300 to 3400 bp. Dissimilarity indices based on Nei and Li equation ranged from 0.07 to 0.29 indicating moderate level of genetic polymorphism. Hierarchical cluster analysis using SPSS method showed genetic variation amongst genotypes dividing them into three major clusters comprising 10, seven and one genotypes, respectively. The result of present study indicates that RAPD analysis has determined the genetic relationships and estimated the genetic diversity among the genotypes of P. ovata.Key words: Plantago ovata (Forsk.), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, Nei and Li equation, genetic diversity

Behaviour change interventions to reduce second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure at home in pregnant women - A systematic review and intervention appraisal

Abstract Background Second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure during pregnancy is associated with poor pregnancy and foetal outcomes. Theory-based behaviour change interventions (BCI) have been used successfully to change smoking related behaviours and offer the potential to reduce exposure of SHS in pregnant women. Systematic reviews conducted so far do not evaluate the generalisability and scalability of interventions. The objectives of this review were to (1) report the BCIs for reduction in home exposure to SHS for pregnant women; and (2) critically appraise intervention-reporting, generalisability, feasibility and scalability of the BCIs employed. Methods Standard methods following PRISMA guidelines were employed. Eight databases were searched from 2000 to 2015 in English. The studies included used BCIs on pregnant women to reduce their home SHS exposure by targeting husbands/partners. The Workgroup for Intervention Development and Evaluation Research (WIDER) guidelines were used to assess intervention reporting. Generalisability, feasibility and scalability were assessed against criteria described by Bonell and Milat. Results Of 3479 papers identified, six studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies found that BCIs led to increased knowledge about SHS harms, reduction or husbands quitting smoking, and increased susceptibility and change in level of actions to reduce SHS at home. Two studies reported objective exposure measures, and one reported objective health outcomes. The studies partially followed WIDER guidelines for reporting, and none met all generalisability, feasibility and scalability criteria. Conclusions There is a dearth of literature in this area and the quality of studies reviewed was moderate to low. The BCIs appear effective in reducing SHS, however, weak study methodology (self-reported exposure, lack of objective outcome assessment, short follow-up, absence of control group) preclude firm conclusion. Some components of the WIDER checklist were followed for BCI reporting, scalability and feasibility of the studies were not described. More rigorous studies using biochemical and clinical measures for exposures and health outcomes in varied study settings are required. Studies should report interventions in detail using WIDER checklist and assess them for generalisability, feasibility and scalability. Trial registration CRD40125026666

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2013 and 2014 to find out the effect of tillage practices, crop residue and sulphur fertilization on nutritive value of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) stover. Five tillage practices i.e. conventional tillage (CT) with 0, 2 and 4 t/ha crop residue; zero tillage (ZT) with 2 and 4 t/ha crop residue were allocated to main plots and four sulphur levels (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg S/ha) in sub- plots. Study showed that ZT with 4 t/ha crop residue recorded significantly higher N, P, K and S content in pearl millet stover which remained at par with CT at same residue level. Furthermore, maximum uptake of N, P, K and S was recorded in CT and ZT with 4 t/ha crop residue during 2013 and 2014, respectively. Incremental supply of sulphur fertilizer from 0 to 45 kg/ha had significantly improved N, S and crude protein content and crude protein yield and decreased acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre contents in stover. CT or ZT with 4 t/ha crop residue improved N, P, K, S and CP content and uptake. Similarly, application of 30 kg S/ha in pearl millet improved nutritive quality of stover.Not Availabl

Development, Characterization, and Culinary Potential of Wine from Dates Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and Some Spices

The rising prevalence of health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, along with the high costs associated with conventional wine, have presented significant challenges for consumers. This study aimed to develop an affordable and health-conscious wine using date palm fruit, enabling home production. The process involved extracting pulp from healthy date fruits and fermenting it with Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC-1118 yeast and sugar. To enhance the wine’s flavor and medicinal value, various spices, including ginger and turmeric, were incorporated. Additionally, honey was added to certain samples to increase antioxidant activity. The fermentation process spanned approximately 10 days, during which key parameters such as Alcohol by Weight (AFD), volatile acidity (Vc), and fixed acidity (Fv) were measured. Post-fermentation, biochemical and enological analyses revealed ethanol content ranging from 9% to 11% and volatile acidity between 3 to 9 g/L. Both sensory and non-sensory evaluations were conducted to assess the organoleptic qualities of the wine, with findings indicating that the wine produced from fermented date fruit pulp was organoleptically superior. Furthermore, storage studies demonstrated that the wine could be refrigerated for up to one month without any significant loss in taste or flavor

Toward improving water-energy-food nexus through dynamic energy management of solar powered automated irrigation system

This paper focuses on developing a water and energy-saving reliable irrigation system using state-of-the-art computing, communication, and optimal energy management framework. The framework integrates real-time soil moisture and weather forecasting information to decide the time of irrigation and quantity of water required for potato crops, which is made available to the users across a region through the cloud-based irrigation decision support system. This is accomplished through various modules such as data acquisition, soil moisture forecasting, smart irrigation scheduling, and energy management scheme. The main emphasizes is on the electrical segment which demonstrates an energy management scheme for PV-battery based grid-connected system to operate the irrigation system valves and water pump. The proposed scheme is verified through simulation and dSpace-based real-time experiment studies. Overall, the proposed energy management system demonstrates an improvement in the optimal onsite solar power generation and storage capacity to power the solar pump which save the electrical energy as well as the water in order to establish an improved solar-irrigation system. Finally, the proposed system achieved water and energy savings of around 9.24 % for potato crop with full irrigation enhancing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus at field scale